September 14, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 1942

ALASKA (11th Air Force): In the first combined heavy mission over Kiska 13 B-24s, 1 B-17, 14 P-38s, and 14 P-39s fly low-altitude and photo runs; the P-39s shell 3 submarines in the harbor; the other aircraft bomb and strafe many installations including AA guns and the submarine base; a single aircraft also strafes Segula; enemy losses are 5 float planes shot down and 1 flying boat destroyed on the water; 2 mine sweepers sunk and another vessel slightly damaged; while a large cargo vessel and several small barges and vessels sustain hits; 2 P-38s are lost, colliding head-on while after a fighter. USAAF planes sink Japanese ammunition ship Nojima Maru off Kiska, Aleutians; USAAF P-39s damage submarines RO 63 and RO 64 also in the area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): A single A-20 bombs ground forces and installations at Myola; and Headquarters (HQ), 43d Bombardment Group moves from Torrens Creek to Port Moresby. Lost is F-4 Lightning 41-2098 pilot 1st Lt. Andrew W. Peterson (MIA) near Buna.

SOPAC: Ten B-17s from 11th BG bomb Japanese heavy cruiser Myoko en route from Truk bound for Guadalcanal. A near miss causes slight damage to a 25mm AA gun mount.

IJN: At Rabaul around 1:00pm an accident detonates munitions stockpiles stored on the coast of Rabaul. Meeting nearby, Vice Admiral Ugaki and Vice Admiral Tsukahara and other senior officers evacuated their headquarters building and took cover in an air raid shelter. Over the next twelve hours, explosions continued to detonate on the waterfront.

U.S. Navy: Task Force 65 (TF 65) is organized to transport 7th Marines to Guadalcanal, leaves Espiritu Santo.

USMC: On Guadalcanal, the Battle of Bloody Ridge ends with the Marines repulsing an attempt by the Kawaguchi Force to penetrate the Henderson Field perimeter. At dawn, Japanese break off attacks on Bloody Ridge and withdraw under air attack, leaving about 600 dead; Marine casualties are 143. 2d Bn of 5th Marines starts relief of Prov raider-parachute bn. On E flank along the Ilu, 3d Bn of 1st Marines moves 6 light tanks against enemy, but 3 are disabled; Japanese continue sporadic fire in this sector. In afternoon, Japanese attack 3d Bn of 5th Marines on ridge commanding coastal road to W sector of perimeter but are driven off. 3d Bn of 2d Marines arrives on Guadalcanal from Tulagi. On Samoa, The 3d Marines arrive at Tutuila.

Australian Army: Advance elements (2/31st and 2/33d Bns) of 25th Brig, Aus 7th Div, reach Ioribaiwa, where they take over defense of ridge from Aus 21st Brig. Japanese, with 2 full regts in line, force a further withdrawal, to Imita Ridge, the last before Port Moresby, lying 32 miles from that objective. This is the last withdrawal of Aus forces on this front.

References
Fortress Rabaul (2010) pages 238-239